The ChargeTech Apple iPhone 6 Battery Case is super slim, but you can find cases that offer more protection and better battery performance for the same price.

Although it isn't a particularly well-known name, you may have unknowingly used a ChargeTech device before. ChargeTech is a rebranding of ChargeAll, which makes products that can often be found at hotels and restaurants, as well as retail stores. The consumer-based 2,400mAh ChargeTech Battery Case ($99.95) is a fairly average performer that, like the 3,000mAh Incipio offGrid Express, offers little protection for your Apple iPhone 6, but doesn't rate as well due to its higher price tag. Our Editors' Choice, the 3,300mAh Mophie Juice Pack Plus ($119.99), offers the best balance of performance and protection for just $20 more.

Design and FeaturesChargeTech claims its iPhone 6 battery case is the thinnest in the world. At 5.95 by 2.75 by 0.45 inches (HWD), it is indeed the thinnest battery case we've tested for the iPhone 6 to this point. Weighing in at 3.2 ounces, it's also almost the lightest. The main battery section is coated in a black matte plastic that's typical for battery cases. You have the choice of blue, red, purple, pink, green, teal, and black for the shiny plastic bumper, all of which are clear rather than solid.

The case has a design similar to the OtterBox Resurgence and offGrid Express, where a bumper frame surrounds your iPhone 6 and clips onto the main section of the case to secure it. A drop test from about four feet showed that the frame is likely to scatter upon impact with a hard surface, like the offGrid Express did. This means the case may protect your phone from scratches and bumps from the initial impact, but you risk a scuffed or even cracked screen if your iPhone 6 ends up face down. ChargeTech doesn't boast any official ratings for shock protection like Otterbox does, so the case won't necesarily protect your phone from shock-related damage.

Like most battery cases, the micro USB port for charging the case and your phone simultaneously is found on the bottom edge. It also acts as a pass-through for syncing. There's a recessed port hole for the included headphone adapter, which ChargeTech was wise to include; any headphones with wider connectors than Apple's EarPods won't fit through without the extender. On the back of the case, toward the bottom, there are four LEDs arranged in series to indicate the remaining charge status. A button next to the LEDs activates them, and a long-press of the button turns the case's power on and off.

Performance and ConclusionsThe 2,400mAh ChargeTech gave our fully depleted iPhone 6 3 hours, 13 minutes of LTE video streaming time until iOS's 20-percent battery notification appeared. For all of our battery rundown tests, the iPhone's screen brightness is set to max, and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are turned off. That's a pretty average result. In the same test, the 2,600mAh Resurgence gave our iPhone 6 3 hours, 43 minutes of LTE video streaming life. And the 3,300mAh Juice Pack Plus turned in a whopping 4 hour, 53 minute result.

It's true that the ChargeTech Battery Case will add less bulk to your iPhone 6 than most of the other cases we've reviewed, but such a slim design has a noticeable impact when it comes to performance. The case could be a bargain if you can find it for well under its MSRP (which you often can), but you should look elsewhere if not. The offGrid Express costs less, and offers comparable performance. The Resurgence, meanwhile, is a good alternative for the same price, as it provides the best protection in the business, along with good battery performance. If you can spend $20 more, though, certainly check out the Juice Pack Plus, as it also offers excellent protection and a ton of battery life.

If you're not keen on the bulk and weight that battery cases impose on your phone, but still need power while on-the-go, check out hybrid cases, like the Tylt Energi Sliding Power Case or our other Editors' Choice, the Boostcase. Their versatile sliding designs will let you ditch the bulky battery sections when you don't need them, leaving you with a slim, standard case for your iPhone 6. Alternatively, there's always external batteries like the uNu Superpak, which are ideal if you often carry around a bag, as they provide the biggest bang for your buck.

About the Author

Before becoming PCMag’s Junior Consumer Electronics Analyst, Antonio graduated from Colgate University with a BA in History where he, upon writing his nine millionth essay, never thought he would ever write ever again, especially for a living. After working in PR and sales, Antonio realized his knowledge and passion for technology far exceeded norm... See Full Bio

ChargeTech Apple iPhone 6 Batte...

ChargeTech Apple iPhone 6 Battery Case

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